1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to beverage brewers of the type having brew chambers configured and dimensioned to accept and pierce disposable single serve beverage cartridges as well as those brewers that accept disposable single serve beverage pods that have soluble beverage materials confined between layers of film media, and is concerned in particular with a system for dispensing metered volumes of heated water to such brew chambers for infusion with the soluble beverage materials contained in such cartridges or pods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hot water dispensing systems of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,063 are in widespread use. While such systems operate reliably with an adequate degree of metering accuracy, certain of their metering components are difficult to manufacture with the precision necessary to achieve a high degree of metering accuracy. Moreover, when processing water having elevated mineral levels, the accuracy and reliability of the metering components can be compromised by mineral deposits.
Although other dispensing systems employ less expensive components that are less likely to be compromised by mineral deposits, any such advantages are more than offset by reduced dispensing accuracy and reliability.
There exists a need, therefore, for an improved hot water dispensing system that not only employs lower cost components that are substantially immune to mineral deposits, but that also is capable of consistently operating with a high degree of dispensing accuracy.